Red and Blue Pills
by munrochambers4ever
Summary: Facing a harsh reality of truth or live the illusion of a perfect life? Red or blue? Which pill will Zuko take? Or rather, which pill will Jet make him take? (T now, M later.)
1. Chapter 1

_Blue is no right answers, no guiding stars._

_A solitary journey with no horizon in view._

_It's freedom and facing your fears. It's embracing the unknown._

_Taking a leap or a plunge._

_Blue is uncertainty._

_Blue is courage._

* * *

Orange, dying embers were the only thing Zuko focused on as he let his eyes adjust to the dark. He had been perched on the tree branch since nightfall, waiting for the camper to fall asleep in his tent. The forest was so unusually quiet tonight; Zuko could hear the man's breathing even out from where he laid.

Reaching behind him to make sure the knot was securely tied against his hair, and pulling his swords out of their scabbards, he dropped to the ground below him with no more than a silent thud. The campground remained silent.

Zuko made his way around the campground, rifling through bags and chests until he grabbed all he could carry. He then scurried off to his own make-shift campground.

Which was really just a red tarp nailed between two trees, creating the allusion of shelter. Zuko dropped the things he'd acquired and then slumped against the base of the tree, untying his mask and throwing it to the dirt. The blue face stared back at him in fear and disgust.

* * *

"C'mon, Jet, I'm tired! Can't we set up camp for the night?" Smellerbee whined behind the taller boy, dragging the crate of arrows her and Longshot had found earlier.

Jet, with a sack of blankets slung over his shoulder, sighed. "I'm tired, too, but I can still smell the fire up ahead. Maybe whoever's burning it has food."

"And what are you gonna do if it's a firebender?" Smellerbee challenged, arching her eyebrow at the newly 'changed' boy.

"Then I'll-" Jet accidentally caught eyes with Longshot, who was giving him a stern look, reminding him of his promise to change. "-keep my mouth shut and get away as fast as I can."

"Yeah. Right." The tired girl grumbled under breath and kept walking. The fire that all three of them were smelling seemed closer. The trio finally broke through a set of trees only to be met with the last bits of a fire. Black charcoal was consuming the flames of a fire, shadows that were dancing across their faces quickly disappearing.

Jet sighed at the lack of food, before he caught a glimpse around the fire. "This place has been looted," He whispered.

The other two quickly scanned the campground with ill-adjusted eyes. "Looks like whoever was here took all the good stuff. We should get out of here before he wakes up and accuses us."

Jet nodded and the trio quickly escaped by climbing up the trees and skipping along the branches. Even with weight on their back, the three were nimble and able to flow through the branches as easy as the wind.

When they found a decent sized stump, the three sat down, taking a break for a little while. Jet sighed and pulled out the loaf of bread they manage to get earlier. He broke it in threes and passed it around, "You know what this means?"

Smellerbee made a questioning noise between a mouthful of bread.

"We're not the only Freedom Fighters out here."

* * *

Notes: Okay, well this is gonna be a slow build up fic, but Jet and Zuko will cross paths soon. Season 2 angst will ensue and I will cry a lot. Enjoy!


	2. Chapter 2

_Letting people down is my thing, baby._

_Find yourself a new gig, this town ain't big enough for two of us. _

* * *

"C'mon," There was a gentle kick against Jet's thigh in the morning, bright sun streaming over his eyes making him blink back a headache. "We should be moving on."

Jet sighed and sat up, rubbing sleep away from his eyes. Smellerbee left his side to pack up her sleeping bag and other things they had used for a temporary camp ground.

"You figure out where we're going yet?" She called over her shoulder.

Standing to his feet, shaking dirt of his clothes, Jet huffed. He bent down and started rolling his sleeping bag up. "Yeah, actually."

"Well don't keep me waiting."

And in just a few minutes, the three of them had their entire camp packed up and started walking through the forest again. Smellerbee fell into step next to Jet. He shrugged, "Look, I'm not gonna get any better if we keep running into firebenders on our travels. So we should go somewhere that no firebender can go." Smellerbee gave him a look and he smiled, "Ba Sing Se."

She bit her lip, "Jet, you've heard all the stories I have. It's nothing but rules and authority and people telling you how to live. You'd hate it."

"I know," Jet shrugged again. "But the most important thing is that no firebender can get in."

* * *

"You think I should go to Ba Sing Se?" Zuko repeated the man's suggestion with confusion, "Why?"

Gonzu smiled, "It's safe there. You'd be safe."

Zuko shrugged, leaving the conversation at that, and the two men went back to working on the roof. The little boy, Lee, popping his head up every now and then to watch the men work.

Zuko had entered this town sometime around sunrise and after a run in with the so called 'police force,' Lee had taken him back to his house for a good meal. This was a good family, Zuko thought, but he'd have to be moving on soon. The guards here were very... bracing and the last thing Zuko needed was to get in any sort of trouble.

* * *

"You must be looking for trouble, coming into our town with all those supplies and not offering the army any."

Jet turned his head incredulously, staring at the three men in front of him. "Excuse me?"

"Everybody that passes through here pays a contribution to the army. We are keeping you safe, after all." The man in front, who seemed to be the leader, smirked at Jet.

"Seem to be doing a pretty shitty job," Jet grumbled and kept walking. There was a the vibration of the earth rumbling and then immediately after, Jet was on his face. He turned to glare at the soldier that bended at him.

The other two men leaned down and each took a blanket from Jet's pack, thanking him sarcastically.

"Hey, give that back!" Jet stood to his feet, reaching for his swords.

"I wouldn't," The leader warned, tapping at the mallets hanging off his hips. "Penalty's a lot steeper than you can afford."

* * *

Zuko stood near the family as they huddle together with tears. He could taste the dust that the ostrich horses kicked up as the soldiers rode off. Zuko swallowed against the dry lump in his throat. Gonzu made his wife a promise, that he'd bring their son home. Lee asked Zuko to stay.

"I can't. I should be moving on." Zuko spoke low. Yes, he did need to be moving on, but anyone who could hurt a family already broken by war like that deserved revenge. "But I'll help you with the soldiers."

* * *

"What the hell, Jet?" Smellerbee whined. There was steam coming off of the fire Jet had just put out. The sudden overwhelming smell of smoke is what woke Smellerbee. When she sat up, Jet was opening the barn door, swords in hands. "I thought you were done with this shit."

"I'm done trying to kill firebenders. These guys aren't firebenders. And besides, I'm not gonna kill them. Just wanna get my stuff back."

Before she could say anything, Jet exited the barn and immediately climbed on top of it, maneuvering in the night from rooftop to rooftop. He found where the men were circled around a tiny fire and stood on the roof directly above them.

* * *

The mask on Zuko's face threatened to slip off, but he didn't have a free hand to tie it back. He sat crouched on the roof next to the soldier's hut, watching them laugh around the fire. He was high up on the roof of a tall building, but he could manage the jump. Holding one sword between his teeth, he tightened the knot behind his head and tightened his grip on both swords.

_One, two, three-_

* * *

Jet smirked as he counted down, waiting until all three men were distracted. Silently, he hooked his swords against the gutter of the roof. He angled his foot on the edge of the roof and on the count of three swung down.

He was met midday to the ground with another body. The two clashed and fell to the ground with an audible thump.

There wasn't much time before the soldiers noticed their failed attempt at ambush. Jet stood, meeting the face of a mask. It was clear that both boy's intentions were the same, so without a single word, they branched outwards, circling the soldiers inward and attacked.

These guys were easy enough that Jet could focus some of his attention on the other boy fighting. He was fluent with dual swords, using them like Jet learned to use his own: as a whole, as an extension, together. Jet was fascinated by this stranger.

* * *

Zuko cursed under his breath as he scooped up one of the soldier's bags and slung it over his shoulder. It got caught on a part of his mask and pulled it downward. The top of Zuko's forehead was peaking out. He quickly retrieved another bag and without sparing a look at the boy who was fighting alongside him, he climbed up the side of the wall and onto the roof.

After hopping a few roofs away, Zuko sat down to catch his breath, letting the mask loose. It was then he realized he wasn't alone.

"Hey."

* * *

The boy seemed so frightened at the word, turning quickly and trying to retie the mask at the same time. Jet laughed at how awkwardly he moved, when fighting he moved fluently and skillfully.

"Don't worry. I'm not a rat." Jet shook his hand at the mask, "Although, it's a pretty cool mask. Where'd ya get it?"

The boy glared at him in confusion and put the mask down. "My mother."

* * *

Zuko had no idea why he decided to indulge this stranger, but something about his friendly demenor made him seem... trustworthy. It had to be fake though; Zuko just watched it attempt to kill three soldiers. He didn't even flinch when one of their legs snapped under his sword.

He was a child born of war and Zuko knew exactly what that was like.

"That's pretty cool. My name's Jet." The boy walked forward, offered his hand to Zuko.

* * *

Jet had come in contact with a lot of people over the years who he fought beside then never saw again. When there was a common enemy, and an ally willing to help, you learned not to ask questions. But there was something about this one. Something about that scar so prominent on his face that told Jet he was different then his other comrades. There was a deeper pool of hate someone beneath that scar. Jet wanted to dive into it and learn all he could, patch up anything wounds and make this boy better. It was something he'd never felt before.

"I'm...Li."

* * *

Holy fuck, if that wasn't the fakest way to introduce yourself.

But Zuko panicked and the only thing that came to mind was the little boy he was fighting these soldiers for. Jet seemed to catch on that it was a fake name, but didn't make a comment. He took the privilege of sitting next to Zuko, grabbing one of his swords. "These things are pretty cool. You're good at them."

"Thank you."

* * *

Wow, this guy was awkward.

Jet found himself laughing a lot more than usual, just to make up for the weird silence's Li left him in. He seemed so put off by the human contact next to him and it made Jet giggle, scooting closer.

He wanted to test this guy's limits. Jet was a people person and this guy was so easy to read: Proper and precise, nothing out of place, but desperately craving something. Jet could tell what it was. This guy needed someone to push him over the edge, push him way above his limits and show him what life was all about. He needed someone pursue him.

Jet was just the guy to do that.

* * *

[notes:] now that they've met, there won't be so much jumping between the two POVs. i hope everyone enjoys and reviews mean a lot to me, whether on here or on my tumblr: j-e-t-k-o


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